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Bangladesh's former prime minister has been given a death sentence for crimes against humanity due to her harsh response on youth demonstrations which caused her forced departure.

Sheikh Hasina was found guilty of authorizing deadly measures to be used against activists, among whom around 1,400 people were killed during the turmoil in the previous year.

Legal proceedings were conducted without her presence by the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) in Bangladesh, as she resides in exile in India since she was forced from power in July 2024.

The prosecution alleged of being the mastermind of hundreds of killings during the protests. Hasina has denied all charges, describing the process as "biased and politically motivated".

The verdict marks a pivotal moment for Bangladesh, as the protests brought forth resentment over years of repression. Families of those killed and harmed had demanded severe punishments.

Reacting to the verdict in a comprehensive declaration, the former leader stated the death penalty was the interim government's way of "eliminating her political faction" as a political force and that she was content of her administration's performance on human rights.

"I do not fear to face my accusers in a proper tribunal where the evidence can be weighed and tested fairly."

Bangladesh's main city, Dhaka, where the court convened, was under tightened security before the ruling on Monday, with many of Hasina's critics holding a protest and celebrating as the sentence was declared.

Dhaka experienced a notable rise in unrest, with numerous incendiary devices set off and coaches ignited in the days leading up to the verdict.

At least one bomb explosion was noted in Dhaka on Monday morning, with zero injuries documented, area law enforcement officer the authorities' representative stated to press agencies.

The protest movement led by students during 2024 started with calls to eliminate state employment quotas but evolved into a wider anti-government movement.

UN human rights investigators said in a report in February that the nearly 1,400 casualties could amount to "violations of human dignity".

The report documented the gunfire from minimal distance of a number of activists, the intentional injuring of further participants, unjustified apprehensions and abuse.

Unauthorized recordings of a call made by the former leader confirmed by investigative sources earlier this year implied she had authorized the use of "deadly arms" in July 2024. The recording was presented in court during the trial.

Before the decision, family members of those killed during the protests informed media representatives they wanted the former leader to face strict penalties.

A family representative, whose family member was fatally wounded in July 2024, said he wanted "exemplary punishment" for the former leader and associates who have "committed acts of vengeance and exploited their positions".

A different family member, whose spouse died near Dhaka in August 2024, said she wanted Hasina's sentence to be "implemented before the election".

"Solely at that point the relatives of the deceased [in the protests] will obtain solace in their minds."

Since Hasina's ousting, an interim government under the guidance of economist Muhammad Yunus has assumed control. A parliamentary election is set for February 2026.

However, the Hasina's political party, the former ruling party, was prohibited by Bangladesh's caretaker administration in May.

She alerted last month that if the the League's representatives were prohibited from running in the upcoming election, millions would boycott the vote.

The judgment creates a foreign relations issue for both nations. Authorities have sought her extradition but to date India has expressed no readiness to agree.

Her officially designated attorney her legal counsel said he was "unhappy and desiring the decision had been otherwise".

"I am unable to challenge because my represented individuals are away; which is why I am sad," he added.

The previous week, her legal team said they had filed an urgent appeal to the UN highlighting major judicial fairness and judicial process problems at the ICT.

Legal proceedings involved Hasina alongside her former home minister and top law enforcement officer.

Even though the verdict offers some closure to families of killed in the protests, it may have minimal effect on calming the state's ideological splits.

"The fury directed at Sheikh Hasina and the Awami League has not subsided," a Dhaka-based rights activist stated to media outlets. "Neither she nor the party has apologised or shown any remorse for the killings of hundreds of people."

The advocate declared "This complicates matters for the faction to gain approval by a bulk of the population in this country."

The activist added that the punishment was not closure for the relatives of those who died and were wounded.

"We assist numerous persons who suffered permanent amputations, they are amputees now, due to the crackdown. They cannot pardon her."

A journalist, an observer of Bangladeshi affairs, said the "inherent character of the guilty verdict could make it particularly hard" for her party to become a regular participant of the country's governance system again.

This may change if "a form of contrition emerges and a distancing from Sheikh Hasina and the former hierarchy," he stated.